Camo

As the title implies we recently learned the basics of camouflaging ourselves in various surroundings. We were told on various occasions that the specifics, as in the gear that we use, are particularly classified information, but I'll try to do my best to explain what I can.

First of all, this week just so happened to fall on the Jewish Holiday of Purim. For those of unfamiliar with the holiday, or who want a refresher, you can follow this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purim. In Israel the holiday has a very "Halloweeny" feel to it. It is customary to wear costumes and is a favorite among young kids. It is also popular among the older kids as well because it is considered a good deed to get so inebriated that you can not remember your own name (it mentions something about it in the wikipedia article under "Purim Meal"). Out in the field we didn't exactly celebrate the way most people do, although Purim falling on the week wear we were learning camouflage was rather aperpo. We still got to dress up, but we all dressed up like bushes and trees. We also got a chance to hear the story of Purim read from the scroll (pictured above).

Because this was the basic camo week it was kind of like an introductory class, meaning there was a lot information jammed into a short amount of time. We spent the week going back and forth between various types of stands and the intricacies of building them. Perhaps more important than the stands themselves is what they are used for. For the most part the stands are a means of reconnaissance, but they can also be used for attacking as well. The problem with reconnaissance is that someone has to be awake at all times. Meaning that if you have spent all day learning and building stands when it comes time to put it into practice, mainly at night, you are already dead tired. And as the week wears on the feeling only intensifies. Fortunately for us, our commanders were up to the task of making sure we stayed a wake.

In order to make sure we are awake, we need to check in via radio every hour. Lets just say that it didn't take long for people to start drifting to sleep. Even in a group of 6 people on rotating shifts we had trouble staying attentive (I actually think the rotating shift makes it even harder. Imagine being awoken from slumber and told to stay awake and stare into the dark for 30 minutes and then go back to sleep, I promise it is harder than it sounds.). My group was kind of lucky. When we got caught we had to crawl up and down a mountain and then carry people on our backs for about an hour. There were groups less fortunate than we were. One group on my team was awoken by the unnerving hisssss of a gas grenade released two feet from where they were laying, and that was before they started crawling and carrying guys up and down mountains.

I'll share a little anecdote that is somewhat humorous, but at the time really wasn't. As a precursor to the story I need to make it clear that this week was something of an advanced lesson in tear gas. With that said, our first night the instructors wanted to know what our base knowledge of camouflage was. We were told we would be given a specific amount of time to dig holes that would need to serve as protection from shrapnel and serve as some form of camouflage. As we were told to gather around for the instruction we were suddenly bombarded by gas grenades. Everyone scattered and grabbed for their gas masks. I was able to get my mask on rather quickly and I began to look around as I saw the wave of gas approaching. I saw people running in every direction and I saw someone fumbling with their mask. I took a closer look and discovered it was my roommate Harrison. As it turns out he as missing one of the straps on his mask and it was fair to say the gas was causing him a good deal of discomfort. He reached out and called for me to try and help lead him away from the gas. It was at this point, full of pity for my prostrate friend, that I realized something was terribly wrong. Normally the tear gas has a very potent smell, but this is not what was causing my nose to run or my eyes to water. Something else was wrong, and it didn't take long to realize that my mask was also malfunctioning. And just as I had stood just moments before assured of my own safety in the protection of my gas mask, I was now being blinded by tears and the fire scorching my chest. I ran as far from the gas as I could until I saw some commanders standing around laughing to themselves. I tried to signal that I was choking, but they seemed rather unconcerned. In the end, the effects of the gas passed after a few minutes. It turns out that my mask was missing a filter, and in effect became a vessel for containing the gas within.

Battalion Exercise

In an attempt to remain prepared for a battle on any front our battalion took part in an exercise in Ramat Hagolan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_Heights).  The premise is to simulate what a possible war with Lebanon, Syria, or both might be like.  While under normal circumstances this drill would not have been considered one of the more fun ways to spend the week, it was made all the more difficult by the torrential down pour that had drenched the entire country for the better part of the previous week.

Our company took a rather small role in the drill since we still have another two months of training, compared to the rest of the battalion who have already finished.  This meant that the majority of our time was spent carrying 50 and 60 pound rucksacks.  While normally this would seem a rather normal task for us by this point in our training it turned out to be anything but.  To start the drill we were flown in on Black Hawks (the drill wasn't entirely dull) to the location from which we were supposed to hike about 10 miles before setting up a perimeter around a village we would then attempt to storm.  I say "supposed to hike" because in actuality my company was flown to within about 2 - 3 miles of the village.  It took about 5 seconds after jumping out of the helicopter to realize just what we had gotten ourselves into.  As I attempted to make my way from the landing zone to meet up with my team I found myself sinking into mud that at points made its way up to my knees!

I hoped that the conditions would improve, but as we continued to march I found that the only path I could make through the mud was along the footprints left behind by those in front of me.  Over the next 6 hours we slipped and slid our way through the mud as our packs succeeded in making each step that much deeper and that much harder to remove from the Earth's muddy grasp.  I knew that the hike would be difficult but I never imagined it would take us 6 hours to advance 2.5 miles.  

Fortunately, the rain stopped and the sun helped to dry up some of the mud, but at best the conditions the rest of the week could be described as "swampy."  Which, if you ask one of my friends (pictured above), is an improvement from literally swimming in mud.  After the first night, the drill itself went rather well.  We were flown farther north to simulate the Syrian mountainous terrain.  This culminated in a 2 hour hike straight up a mountain (which actually had a pretty amazing view when we got a second to rest at the top).  At one point in the scaling of this mountain, one of the kids behind me jokingly asked whether or not we were climbing Everest.  While it wasn't quite Everest, after the week we had, and the snow covered peaks in the distance - it kinda felt like it.